BS: We live in a state of fear. Some dear old duck had a beastly picture, of which she was intensely proud, and left it to the National Gallery in 1893. It is still there, and it has no business to be there. We respect her generosity and cannot go against her will – but we should. We should refuse things. When the great crisis came up over the Three Graces [the Antonio Canova sculpture which came up for sale], I was wandering around Buckingham Palace, thinking, why doesn’t the Queen step forward? She could sell [some of her paintings] and buy the Three Graces – that’s what collections should do. Her collection is full of rubbish!
